Escondido to consider playing the waiting game for library funding

ESCONDIDO —— Hoping a third time will be the charm, Escondido
staff members are urging the City Council to hold onto $10.4
million it has squirreled away for a new library.

Although the money could be used to help deflect the rising
construction costs of a planned fire and police headquarters, a
report to the council by Assistant City Manager Jack Anderson
recommends keeping that money available for matching funds, should
state voters approve a $600 million library construction bond in
June 2006.

The council will consider the matter at its meeting
Wednesday.

Two years ago, the council stashed the money away in an effort
to secure state grants that would cover 65 percent of what was
proposed as a $32.1 million project to double the size of the
library at 239 S. Kalmia St.

Faced with tough competition from hundreds of library projects
statewide, Escondido narrowly missed out on the previous rounds of
grants from a 2000 state bond. But Mayor Lori Pfeiler said Monday
that it was important to keep the city's money where it is, so
Escondido doesn't miss out on any funding opportunities.

"If the fundamental issue is that we need to rebuild our
library," Pfeiler said, "then if we have an opportunity to get a
large chunk of money from the state, we should do everything to get
that money. Because if we don't, our community has to come up with
all of it."

Earlier this year, Richard Hall, the state's Library Bond Act
manager, told library supporters in Escondido that about half of
the 2006 bond money would be set aside for projects that weren't
funded from the 2000 bond. Hall cautioned, however, that the city
would only stay eligible for the bond money if it has local dollars
to match the state funds.

Anderson said Monday that if voters don't pass the state library
bond measure in June, the City Council could then decide whether to
use the city's library money to help pay for the public safety
headquarters. Construction on the police and fire facility is
expected to start in the middle of next year, he said.

Last year, shortly after the city lost its most recent bid for
state library bond money, a majority of council members said the
$10 million the city reserved for its share of library construction
costs should be used to pay down the $84.3 million public safety
facilities bond raises voters passed in November.

The bond raises property taxes in Escondido up to $34.75 for
every $100,000 of assessed property value for the next 30 years.
The money will be used to pay for a joint police and fire
headquarters, as well as three new fire stations and the renovation
of Fire Station No. 1.

In 2003, when it first applied for the library grant, the
council transferred $6.3 million that had been set aside for the
public safety headquarters and an additional $4.1 million from the
general fund to cover the city's share of the library
construction.

Paying down the bond debt with city funds would mean a smaller
increase on local property taxes.

The money could also offset a nationwide spike in construction
costs, which increased 11 percent for the year ending September,
according to a recent report by the Associated General Contractors
of America.

Councilman Sam Abed said he is inclined to support keeping the
library money locked up for now, adding that securing at least $20
million from the state amounts to an opportunity of a lifetime for
the city's efforts.

However, Abed, who had pledged during his 2004 campaign for a
seat on the City Council to use the money to pay down the public
safety bond, said that the statewide vote will be the deciding
factor.

"I think (holding onto the money) is a good idea," Abed said.
"However, if (the bond) doesn't go through, it's only fair to put
this money back."

But Pfeiler said that some 2,600 people patronize the library
every day, and she would prefer to keep the money earmarked for the
library project, even if no state money is available.

"We don't have any other public use in this community that has
that kind of traffic," Pfeiler said. "We need a library. But how
you want to fund it is up for discussion."

The proposed library would be 86,000 square feet and include an
underground parking structure.